Image forming apparatus and fixing device with movable member

Abstract

An apparatus includes: an image forming portion that forms an image on a medium; a fixing device removably mounted to an apparatus body to fix the image to the medium, the fixing device including a first rotator that contacts the medium, a second rotator that contacts the first rotator, a movable member movable in first and second directions in which the first and second rotators are moved closer to and away from each other, respectively, an urging member, a first end of which is mounted to the movable member and which urges the movable member in the first direction, and a first support portion that supports a second end of the urging member; a cam member that moves the movable member in the second direction; a shaft member to which the cam member is mounted; and a second support portion that supports the shaft member and the first support portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
 an image forming portion that forms a developer image on a recording medium; and 
 a fixing device that is removably mounted to an image forming apparatus body and that fixes the developer image formed by the image forming portion to the recording medium, 
 wherein the fixing device includes
 a first rotator that contacts the recording medium on which the developer image has been formed by the image forming portion, 
 a second rotator that contacts the first rotator to form an interposition region in which the recording medium is interposed between the first rotator and the second rotator, 
 a movable member that is movable in a direction in which at least one of the first rotator and the second rotator is moved such that a distance between the first rotator and the second rotator becomes shorter and a direction in which at least one of the first rotator and the second rotator is moved such that the distance between the first rotator and the second rotator becomes longer, 
 an urging member, a first end portion side of which is mounted to the movable member, the urging member urging the movable member to move the movable member in the direction in which the first rotator and the second rotator are moved closer to each other, and 
 a first support portion that supports a second end portion side of the urging member, and 
 
 the image forming apparatus further includes
 a cam member that moves the movable member in the direction in which the first rotator and the second rotator are moved away from each other against the urging by the urging member, 
 a shaft member to which the cam member is mounted, and 
 a second support portion that supports the shaft member and the first support portion. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the second support portion comprises a part of the image forming apparatus body. 
 
     
     
       3. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the second support portion is formed from a fixed portion to which the fixing device is fixed. 
 
     
     
       4. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the movable member passes through an opening portion formed in the second support portion to project from a side of the fixing device with respect to the second support portion to a side opposite to the fixing device with respect to the second support portion. 
 
     
     
       5. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the movable member is movable in a direction that crosses a direction in which the fixing device is mounted to and removed from the image forming apparatus body. 
 
     
     
       6. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a drive source that drives the cam member, 
 wherein the drive source is mounted to the image forming apparatus body. 
 
     
     
       7. A fixing device removably mounted to an image forming apparatus body, the fixing device comprising:
 a first rotator that contacts a recording medium on which a developer image has been formed by an image forming portion; 
 a second rotator that contacts the first rotator to form an interposition region in which the recording medium is interposed between the first rotator and the second rotator; 
 a movable member that is movable in a direction in which at least one of the first rotator and the second rotator is moved such that a distance between the first rotator and the second rotator becomes shorter and a direction in which at least one of the first rotator and the second rotator is moved such that the distance between the first rotator and the second rotator becomes longer; 
 an urging member, a first end portion side of which is mounted to the movable member, the urging member urging the movable member to move the movable member in the direction in which the first rotator and the second rotator are moved closer to each other; and 
 a first support portion that supports a second end portion side of the urging member, 
 wherein the movable member is moved by a cam member mounted to a shaft member in the direction in which the first rotator and the second rotator are moved away from each other against the urging by the urging member, and 
 the first support portion is supported by a second support portion that supports the shaft member.